Me, I theenk Senor Jack keela Jose pretty dam-queeck!" Dade had come to know Valencia very well; he turned now and eyed him with some suspicion.
"Are you sure ?" he asked, in the tone that demanded a truthful answer.
He had seen Manuel ride away in the white light of the moon, and he had wondered a little and then had forgotten all about it in the spell of utter loneliness which the moon brings to those who are cheated by Fate from holding what they most desire.
"Sure, me." Valencia's tone was convincingly positive.

"Manuel, she's go lak hell for tella Senor Jack, Jose, she's lak for fight duelo.

Sure.
That's right." Dade swung back and stared moodily at the moon-painted pool where the trout, deceived by the brightness into thinking it was day, started widening ripple-rings here and there, where they flicked the surface with slaty noses; and the wavering rings were gold-tipped until they slid into the shadows and were lost.

Dade watched three rings start in the center and ripple the whole pool.
"How quick could you get to the rancho ?" he asked abruptly, just as Valencia's spirits were growing heavy with disappointment.

"Could you overtake Manuel, do you think ?" "Me, I could with the caballo which I have in mind--Noches--I could pass Manuel upon the way, though he had two more hours the start of me!" English was too slow now for Valencia's eagerness.